Posts for tag: chipped teeth

A recent episode of “America’s Got Talent” featured an engaging 93-year-old strongman called The Mighty Atom Jr. The mature muscleman’s stunt: moving a full-sized car (laden with his octogenarian “kid brother,” his brother’s wife, plus Atom’s “lady friend”) using just his teeth. Grinning for host Howie Mandel, Atom proudly told the TV audience that his teeth were all his own; then he grasped a leather strap in his mouth, and successfully pulled the car from a standstill.

We’re pleased to see that the Atom has kept his natural teeth in good shape: He must have found time for brushing and flossing in between stunts. Needless to say, his “talent” isn’t one we’d recommend trying at home. But aside from pulling vehicles, teeth can also be chipped or fractured by more mundane (yet still risky) activities — playing sports, nibbling on pencils, or biting too hard on ice. What can you do if that happens to your teeth?

Fortunately, we have a number of ways to repair cracked or chipped teeth. One of the easiest and fastest is cosmetic bonding with tooth-colored resins. Bonding can be used to fill in small chips, cracks and discolorations in the teeth. The bonding material is a high-tech mixture of plastic and glass components that’s extremely lifelike, and can last for several years. Plus, it’s a procedure that can be done right in the office, with minimal preparation or discomfort. However, it may not be suitable for larger chips, and it isn’t the longest-lasting type of restoration.

When more of the tooth structure is missing, a crown (or cap) might be needed to restore the tooth’s appearance and function. This involves creating a replacement for the entire visible part of the tooth in a dental lab — or in some cases, right in the office. It typically involves making a model of the damaged tooth and its neighbors, then fabricating a replica, which will fit perfectly into the bite. Finally, the replacement crown is permanently cemented to the damaged tooth. A crown replacement can last for many years if the tooth’s roots are in good shape. But what if the roots have been dislodged?

In some cases it’s possible to re-implant a tooth that has been knocked out — especially if it has been carefully preserved, and receives immediate professional attention. But if a tooth can’t be saved (due to a deeply fractured root, for example) a dental implant offers today’s best option for tooth replacement. This procedure has a success rate of over 95 percent, and gives you a natural looking replacement tooth that can last for the rest of your life.

So what have we learned? If you take care of your teeth, like strongman Atom, they can last a long time — but if you need to move your car, go get the keys.

Accidents can happen to your mouth, especially if you have an active lifestyle. For example, a sudden blow to the jaw while playing sports or exercising could result in a chipped tooth. And, while the internal tooth structure may be fine, the effect on your appearance can be disheartening.

Fortunately, we have techniques and materials to restore your smile after an injury. Bonding with composite resin is one such procedure: it’s ideal for mild to moderate chipping, especially in highly visible front teeth.

Composite resin is a dental material made of various substances mixed to match the color and texture of natural teeth. The composite is usually made of inorganic glass filler blended with a plastic-based matrix and joined together with a chemical “coupling” agent. The ratio of filler to matrix will depend on the type of tooth and damage — for example, back teeth, which encounter higher biting forces, require a composite with more filler for added strength.

To begin the procedure, we first prepare the damaged tooth by applying microscopic etchings (often with a chemical solution) that create tiny depressions or “undercuts”: these help create a seamless bond between the composite and the natural tooth. We then apply the composite in layers with a bonding agent, building up layer upon layer until we’ve achieved the desired shape for the tooth involved.

Bonding with composite resins doesn’t require much tooth preparation, can be placed quickly and is relatively inexpensive. Because of the wide spectrum of color possibilities, composite resins are superior to traditional amalgam (metal) restorations in creating a more life-like appearance. Its application, however, can be limited by the amount of tooth structure needing to be replaced: because it isn’t as strong as the tooth structure it replaces, the more tooth structure the bonded composite resin attempts to replace the less likely it can stand up over time to normal bite forces.

Still, composite resins are ideal for mild to moderate damage or disfigurement. If you’ve suffered such an injury, be sure to visit us to see if bonding with life-like composites is the right solution for restoring your smile.